Medical gloves, such as, examination gloves, are used in a variety of settings, including clinical and emergency medical service (“EMS”) settings. Such gloves are typically packaged and dispensed from disposable containers, each container holding a quantity of gloves. Medical gloves are available in various materials, colors, and sizes. With this variety of options available for gloves, it is important that the containers are clearly labeled so that the user can easily determine what types of gloves are in the container. As an example, some patients or users may have an allergy to latex, so it would be very important to indicate on the container of gloves whether the gloves are composed of a latex material. In many settings, a selection of gloves may be made available for users. For example, several different sizes of gloves may be required to accommodate users who require different glove sizing. Conventional medical glove containers are labeled with indicia on the outside of the container, for example, on the top and side panels of the container.
Conventional medical glove containers have a rectangular cross section and have a perforated opening panel on the top side of a rectangular container of gloves. Gloves are dispensed from the box by removal of the opening panel, which allows the user to reach into the container and pull individual gloves out of the container through the opening. In clinical settings, the indicia printed on the glove containers may be easily visible as the containers are laid out on a flat table or on a shelf. When the perforated oval opening of the glove container is removed, the indicia are still visible on the top, ends, or sides of the container.
In EMS (ambulatory, fire, or other first responder) settings, however, glove containers may be inserted into an ambulance console with the short end of the container facing outward and the other sides of the container obscured by the console. When EMS personnel wish to remove a glove from the container, they may but tear the exposed end of the box off the container to access the gloves inside the box. Once the end of the container has been removed, there are no indicia clearly visible to the EMS personnel that communicate information about the gloves within the container, because no other sides or ends of the container are visible. Because of the nature of EMS work, personnel often do not have the time to remove the containers from their stowed position to read the indicia on the intact portion of the container.
Generally, it has now been found that a container that comprises a top panel, a bottom panel, first and second side panels, first and second outer end panels, optionally and first and second inner end flaps proximal the first and second outer end flaps, may be provided. When one of the end portions is torn away to reveal the contents of the container, at least one tab or flap containing visual indicia that indicates a characteristic of the contents of a container will remain attached to the container. For example, at least one of the first and second inner end flaps include perforations separating the inner end flaps into first and second removable portions and first and second fixed portions respectively. In use, the first and second removable portions may be torn away from the end flaps along the perforations, thereby exposing the contents of the container while the first and second fixed portions remain attached to the first and second side panels of the container. The first and second fixed portions include visible indicia conveying information about the contents of the gloves, for example, the size of the gloves contained in the container. In this manner, the container is open to allow gloves to be removed from the end of the container, but the first and second fixed portions and their corresponding visible indicia remain attached to the container and functioning as tabs or flaps that remain visible to the user.
In another embodiment, a container blank is provided. The blank generally comprises panel portions corresponding to the panels of the container described above, and is suitable for folding into a container as described herein.
In another embodiment, a method of forming the glove container described above is provided. This method comprises providing a blank made from a foldable material, such as cardboard, and folding the container to assemble it into a finished container. The container may then be filled with examination gloves and deployed for use in the field.
In another embodiment, a method of accessing gloves is provided. The method generally comprises providing a glove container and removing an end portions thereby creating an access point for the gloves and leaving a tab or flap with visual indicia conveying information about the contents of the gloves.